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Gil_J
05-16-2012, 09:29 AM
I discovered what appears to be a battery temperature monitor for the charger/inverters. I haven't been able to find any documentation on this device. As you can see the two connectors are disconnected and the eltrotlyte level light is illuminated. I have no idea how an electrical device can determine whether the electrolyte levels are high or low, assuming that's what this light means.

Does anyone have documentation on this device?
9330

Thanks,

Coach Pro LLC
05-16-2012, 01:36 PM
Hello Gil J,

I am not familiar with current Heart devices, but, the "thermal compensation" circuits I have seen use the same Cat 5 cables. My assumption is since you have two cables there are two inverters (?) If these are for thermal compensation, there will be small pads or wafers on the top or sides of the house batteries. These are basically thermostats reporting back to the invertors.

T.C. is typically designed for COLD or frozen batteries. If the battery temperature is at or near freezing, the invertors will reduce the charge rate until they are, literally, warmed up, and then go through the standard charge cycle which is basically high to medium to low to off. If the batteries, or more accuratly the electrolte, is at or near a frozen state they struggle to accept a high-current charge being "forced" in. Imagine pushing a straw through a snowball vs. pushing a straw through water.

Thermal compenastion becomes something of a Catch-22. As the amperage increses in a effort to "force" current into the batteries, the invetors may go into an over-current protection mode and shut themselves off. You can manipulate the settings in the invertors to avoid this, although it is usually best to leave the chagre perameters factory set. The other option is to disconnect the T.C., which is what appears to have been done here.

I think a lot of this depends on lifestyle / coach location. If you have no intention of spending days in below zero locations, you may consider leaving the T.C. disconnected and have one less circuit to worry about, especially if all else with the invertor / battery / charge system is working correctly now. Your call on that.

I have no idea on the "Electrolyte Level" indicator, and I also don't know if the light means the level is correct or the level is low.

I do know that if you need any questions answered on Heart invertors or any coach work done in the Florida area, Rick May at Coach Worx (a sponsor to this site) is as good as they get anywhere in the U.S. and a top rate guy.

Hope that helps and safe travels,

Pat Sprenger
Coach Pro LLC

Gil_J
05-16-2012, 07:33 PM
Mystery solved. This is a worthless add-on. It supports up to 4 temperature sensors, two chargers, and a eltrolyte level sensor. The chargers already support direct connection to a temperature sensor and the electrolyte level option isn't something needed or supported on AGM batteries. This will be on the list to be removed, although it's at the bottom of the list.

Jamie Bradford
05-16-2012, 09:10 PM
Hi Gil,

Great Job. I have a 2000 Country Coach and was beginning to wonder today if I had something that needed to be looked at??

Your problem solving skills are going to be a big help to a bunch of us CC owners.

Jamie